Good Luck to The Oxford American

I used to write for the Oxford American, years and years ago, and really enjoyed it. I found Marc Smirnoff an enjoyably low-key person to write for, though I had friends and acquaintances whose experience was not nearly so pleasant. Smirnoff was so gentle and soft-spoken with me that I found it hard to believe that he has a bad side, but I was assured, by people I trust, that he most certainly does.

I didn’t stop writing for them for any particular reason, except that I had a sense that the magazine — having so strenuously avoided so many familiar Southern poses — was developing its own. Larry Brown — Mister Southern Grit Lit himself, may he rest in peace — was perhaps too much the presiding spirit of the magazine. I wasn’t sure I had much to say that was low-down-and-dirty enough to fit in. And even low-doen-and-dirty finds, on the other side of cliché, an unbearable cuteness. That’s where Roy Blount Jr. goes sometimes, and Tony Earley pretty much all the time. I’ve had enough of what Tom Franklin — Garner quotes this — calls “the sensitive guy at the dogfight” stories.

But you know, the South remains its own place, with its own distinctive take on the Human Comedy, and on the various human tragedies as well, and I hope it will continue to punch above its weight, literarily speaking. I think is this is going to happen the Grit Lit thing will need to be overcome, or at least to become just one of the punches it might throw at any given time. The ordinary middle-class Southern existence hasn’t had a true recording angel since Walker Percy; I’d sure like to see another one. (Garden and Gun is fine as far as it goes, but Southerners have more, and more varied, stories to tell.)

I’d love to see the new Oxford American stretch the intellectual boundaries of Southern culture, and push into new territories of writing. I wish Roger Hodge well as the magazine’s new editor. And for heaven’s sake, man, keep those Music Issues coming.

“Smirnoff then began an in-depth study of the history of magazines in America at the University of Mississippi main library and read back issues of American general interest magazines”.

I’ve mentioned in an earlier thread how a like perusal of the copy of The Reader’s Digest from 1940 over at Archive.org spoiled me into giving up any remnant hope of ever again in our celebrified age seeing a mass-market magazine condensing the leading journals of opinion, science monthlies, and flagship general-interest academic quarterlies, giving amplified voice to the Lewis Mumfords and Albert Jay Nocks of the early C21.

On the fluted plane of magazine cover art, scandalously left to rot since the Depression, a like spoiling overtook me as I plucked one cherry after another from the dead trees of the Jazz-Age Condé Nast magazines, mostly the old Frank Crowninshield Vanity Fair (1914-1936). Here’s my high-butterfat selection, with the recommendation that the Golden Age newcomers among you keep your sunglasses handy as you scroll.

Looking at today’s garishly “busy” neon-drenched covers by contrast, and pondering the coarseness of soul they reflect, suggests to me the substitution of “magazines” and “newsstand” for the nouns of record in H.L. Mencken’s quip to Alistair Cooke at the Progressive Party convention of 1948 upon seeing a particularly annoying left-wing harridan: “The kind of woman who makes you want to burn every bed in the world”.

I’d like to share a memo (below) about our website. Back in August, Carol Ann and I were cut up in so many different ways by a very biased New York Times reporter but nobody seemed to notice. My letter of complaint to the Times was then ignored by them in a very specious manner. So we are publishing the unpublishable (that letter), and other messages, on our site. If you find this all too pushy just remove.

Happy Christmas!

MARC SMIRNOFF

New Content at EditorsinLove.com!

O No!

Featuring:

* OA Founder Marc Smirnoff’s “Funky Old School” Louisiana Music Mix — an Online Alternative to the New Oxford American’s New CD on the “music of Louisiana,” which features 21 artists…and only 3 are by women.

* As if to say, there are just THREE women in the history of Louisiana music who are worthy of spotlighting!

* To listen to Smirnoff’s online Louisiana mix (a sane alternative?) and to read his critique of the “New” Oxford American CD, just do one thing: visit Editorsinlove.com.

But there’s still more naughty new stuff on our site, including:

* The letter that Smirnoff wrote to the New York Times to complain about the August 8, 2012 savaging of Smirnoff & Fitzgerald. The Times dismissed Smirnoff’s arguments and choose very forcefully NOT to run his letter. Well, now you can read his letter of complaint (and his intro on the matter) and decide for yourself whether the Times was right to support their reporter or Smirnoff was right to question her slant and execution.

For all of above, please visit the newly updated EditorsinLove.com. That’s the website of fired Oxford American editors Marc Smirnoff and Carol Ann Fitzgerald–also known as “The gang that won’t shut up!”

(And, boy howdy, there are some people who wish they would.)

_____________________

Today’s Motto: Spread the word! And the word is love…EditorsinLove.com!